The late summer and early fall is apple picking time at the Washington apple orchards and u-pick farms and pumpkin patches surrounding the city of Seattle. Did you know that Washington State is the country’s Apple Capital? It’s true, and an estimated 56% of all apples consumed in the U.S. are grown in Washington. The state is also well known for its cherries.
The best apple picking around the Seattle metropolitan area is in King, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties. So whether you are looking to pick fruit, go on a hayride, or buy fresh baked goods, Family Travel Forum has you covered.
Before you shell out $20 for an empty bushel bag or up to $5 per pound, keep in mind that different varieties are better suited for different purposes. Honeycrisp, Idared, Red Delicious, Fuji, Macintosh, Empire, and the Jonathon are great for eating. For sauces or pies, use the Cortland, Mutsu, Golden Delicious, or Russet instead. If lavender appeals more, this new crop is also plentiful at many of these farms.
For a complete guide to apple-picking orchards and farms across the country, check out the FTF Guide to Top U-Pick Farms in the US.
Apple-Picking in the Seattle Metro Area
There are several PYO Washington apple farms, fruit orchards, and pumpkin patches located in Seattle’s surrounding counties. Skipley Farm, just a half-hour’s drive north in Snohomish, is one of the more interesting ones because it offers guided farm tours led by naturalists as well as horticultural classes. A working farm and plant nursery (especially edible plants), feature organic produce and apples.
Among their 2,000 dwarf apple trees, there are 320 varieties. Because there’s fruit ripening all the way from July through October, Skipley is also a fun U-Pick destination with smaller children. Depending on the season, there are also many other fruits and berries to harvest; in fact, they’ve begun growing trees and bushes of Serviceberry, Aronia, Autumn Olive, Thimbleberry, Elderberry and Cranberry. September is the best month for apple varietal choice, but some species are available to pick in August and into mid-October.
Need an inexpensive rental car for apple picking?
The Farm at Swan’s Trail is a much livelier option in Snohomish, with tons to do. Check out the 55-acre pumpkin patch open from late September to Halloween, which is free. PYO apples have been picked by July, but there’s access to the early bird breakfast or hot food. Activities that require a paid wristband include a Washington State corn maze, petting farm, hay pyramid, jumping pillow, wagon rides, pig races, and more, open daily in the fall.
Fun Apple Picking Farms around Washington
Will you drive two hours to Whatcom County, just outside Bellingham? If so, then Bellewood Farm & Distillery is the farm of choice. This is the largest apple and pear orchard in Western Washington. At two locations, they have over 25,000 trees of 15 varieties being sustainably cultivated. Bellewood’s retail focus is on the farm store, distillery (fruit brandy, vodka, and gin), gift shop, and cafe, selling locally grown wines, hard ciders, gourmet cheese, and seasonal fruit.
The orchard, open for u-pick in September and October, is best known for its Honey Crisp and Cosmic Crisp varietals. Look for Honeycrisp and Tsugaru apples in mid-September, plus several other varieties at the farm store. There’s a corn maze, a small train, and other free activities. Check their online calendar for live music performances on summer weekends. They become a UPick tree farm with Christmas displays on December weekends.
Affordable Apple Picking in Washington State
Before you plan your apple-picking adventure, let’s dive deeper into the affordable options available in Washington State:
- Budget-Friendly Orchards: While apple picking is a delightful activity, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Look for orchards and farms that offer affordable u-pick options.
- Family-Friendly Fruit Picking: Apple picking is a fantastic family outing. Explore orchards that cater to families with kid-friendly activities.
- Varieties of Apples: Washington has a diverse range of apple varieties. Discover the unique flavors of different apple types and find the ones that suit your taste.
- Organic Options: If you prefer organic produce, consider organic apple orchards that offer pesticide-free options.
- Seasonal Fruit: Beyond apples, Washington orchards offer various seasonal fruits. Plan your visit to enjoy raspberries, blueberries, and more.
Yakima’s Harvest – Queen of Washington State PYO
With 163 certified (or awaiting certification) organic farms among its 3,100 farms, Yakima Valley is one of the largest producers in the Pacific Northwest. Crops include grapes for their famous wines, hops for their award-winning beer, cherries, and, of course, apples, apples, and apples. Although Yakima is not very close to Seattle (allow 2 1/2 hours for the 150-mile drive), it’s well worth a day trip.
West Valley U-Pick is one of many small, family-owned farms in the county. Beginning in June, buy or pick your own blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, pluots, and other fruits and vegetables. Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Blondee apples are available for u-pick mid-August to October, then it’s pumpkins. Bring a jug or buy one at the farmstand and press your apple cider. Kids will love the hand-cranked, old-fashioned press. Experiment by adding other fruits to enhance the flavor.
We want to shout out to Johnson Orchards, where the fruit is in season almost all year. While it was USA Today‘s pick as a ‘top 10 apple picking spot,’ this place is about buying quality fruit, not the raucous fall U-Pick festival that some orchards have become. They feature cherries, cherries, and more cherries from mid-June to late July, so expect Bing, Rainier, Van, Lapin, Skeena, and Sweetheart varieties.
Come back in August for apricots, peaches, or nectarines, as well as pluots, plums, and pears. As for apples, they’ve raised apple orchards there since 1904, and the best harvest is from September to December. In addition to the many varietals, you can enjoy Johnson’s beautiful rolling hills, changing leaves, extensive bakery items baked each weekend, and classic ca. 1916 apple warehouse.
Don’t Forget Washington State Pumpkins!
As you get closer to Seattle, many of the farms go purely pumpkin and only sell apples through their farm store. Carleton Farm, about a half hour from Seattle, is one of them. It’s owned by third-generation Carleton’s and offers much more than PYO on its 60 acres. Look for pumpkins by the thousands each October, in addition to other vegetables.
Go have fun with the pumpkin cannon, exactly what it sounds like. Along with the zip line, hay rides, farm animals, soccer bowling, bucket train, and corn maze, it has a fee. The annual Fall Festival includes Family Fun Nights with games and after-dark carnival activities (think Flashlight Maze.) Brave kids can hang out for the Halloween-themed Haunted Swamp and Zombie Hunt.
Find the best deals on Washington hotels for your apple-picking adventures. Booking.com guarantees the best prices for any type of property and no booking fees!
Remlinger Farms is home to a very commercial Family Fun Park with over 25 kid-friendly rides and attractions. Admission to the Fun Park (open weekends in early summer, then Wednesday to Sunday through late October) includes pony rides, a 4H Animal Barnyard, authentic half-sized steam train rides, pony rides, antique cars, a zipline, and more.
Inquire about the self-guided tours that take you around to learning stations to hear about pioneer life, farm animals, corn milling, and more from guides at each station. Their U-Pick offering jumps from raspberry and strawberry weekends in spring to pumpkins from late September to late October. A cafe, craft brewery, and ice cream stand are open. This is when Remlinger shines.
Visit this place for its variety of pumpkins. In addition to pumpkin patches, the Carpinito Brothers Farm, which grows tomatoes and other vegetables, sells bark and nursery supplies. Their market also features produce from farms around the state. Get lost in their fun corn maze, open through the end of October.
Budget-Friendly Apple Picking Tips
To make the most of your apple-picking adventure without overspending, consider these budget-friendly tips. Note the keywords to use when searching for a suitable orchard near you:
- Share the Experience: Split the costs with friends or family to make it even more affordable. Keywords: ‘shared apple picking,’ ‘group fruit picking.’
- BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag): Instead of buying bags on-site, bring your own reusable containers to save on expenses. Keywords: ‘BYOB apple picking,’ ‘reusable fruit containers.’
- Early Bird Discounts: Some orchards offer discounts for early morning visitors. Take advantage of these deals. Keywords: ‘early bird apple picking,’ ‘morning discounts at orchards.’
- Promotions and Coupons: Keep an eye out for promotions, coupons, and special offers from orchards. Keywords: ‘apple picking discounts,’ ‘orchard coupons.’
- Homemade Apple Treats: After picking apples, try making homemade apple pies, crisps, or cider to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Keywords: ‘homemade apple recipes,’ ‘DIY apple desserts.’
FAVORITE WASHINGTON STATE PICK YOUR FRUIT FARMS
- Carleton Farm, 830 Sunnyside Blvd SE, Lake Stevens, Washington 98258 – 425/343-4963
- Carpinito Brothers Farm, 1148 Central Ave North, Kent, Washington 98032- 253/854-5692
- Bellewood Farmstead & Distillery, 6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden, Washington 98264 – 360/318-7720
- West Valley U-Pick Farm, 11901 Zier Road, Yakima, Washington 98908 – 509/945-5406
- Johnson Orchards, 4906 Summitview Avenue, Yakima, Washington – 509/966-7479
- Remlinger Farms, 32610 NE 32nd St, Carnation, Washington 98014 – 425/333-4135
- Skipley Farm, 7228 Skipley Rd., Snohomish, Washington 98290 – 206/679-6576
- Farm at Swan’s Trail, 7301 Rivershore Rd., Snohomish, Washington 98290 – 425/334-4124
Enjoy your day out, and share your favorite apple recipes!
If you liked this Washington apple picking article, consider checking out these other articles below –
- Apple Picking In New York Tri-State Area: Farms To PYO And Enjoy
- Best Apple Picking U-Pick Farms
- Illinois Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy
- Best U Pick Apple Farms in and around Boston, Massachusetts
- California Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy
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4 Replies to “Washington Apple Pick: Your Guide to Fruitful Adventures”
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We vacationed at a dude ranch in Colorado called the Drowsy Water Ranch. We have two kids (9,4) who along with us had the best vacation we have ever had. The ranch offered lots of activities and excellent kids programs and riding instruction.
Our favorite parts of the trip was the evening activities, great staff and ranch owners, learning to ride like cowboys and cowgirls, rafting and most of all watching our kids enjoy their vacation.
We would highly recommend Drowsy Water Ranch to anyone looking for a dude ranch vacation. We are planning on returning to the ranch again this coming summer!
I've heard that this housing development project has made Amsterdam city living more affordable for young families. What a wonderful way to keep a very old urban center alive.
Jessica,
I love your essay. Very descriptive and well written. Thanks for sharing it!
Mrs. Toombs
I love your incorporation of the “Disney” portrayal of Paris. I was also a little disappointed when I actually saw the Moulin Rouge, it was definitely not as romantic as Nicole and Ewan made it seem.
This is really good!
your job sounds so interesting, sort of like a war correspondent with less of the war and more of the correspondence. I look forward to week 2.
Wow… really interesting to hear about Iraq from this non-news oriented perspective. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait for more.
Good luck and be safe!
I’d like to thank the judges, who gave my essay the time of day and even went as far as to award it third place. This event has been really awesome.
There’s an area in Berlin with segments of the Wall still standing, and these are covered with graffiti and really interesting to see. I never heard of this, will definitely check it out next time I’m in Praha. Thanks for sharing.
gee Brandon,
that’s a really heavy thought but a very interesting one. i loved cancun when we went; it’s full of life and very sophisticated. yes, we could see the difference between the glitzy lifestyles of the locals around the tourist hotels, versus the people who lived in the countryside, but they all seemed pretty happy to me.
The Holland America ships sailing on a 7-day itinerary only have time for a day in port at Quebec City. However, they have a few 13 day itineraries that spend 2 days in this fun port of call. Mid September-October is a great time to go.
I was able to get the docs, cancel the request. If all else fails, read the directions, right? Thanks
For a unique, exhilerating and unforgettable experience in Wales, try an “adventure weekend” at Preseli Venture. My weekend there included learning how to surf and hiking for 7 miles along the gorgeous coast. Other activities were kayacking and, my personal favorite, coasteering – a combination of swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping that will leave you sore, tired and smiling. The rest of our time there was spent hanging out around a bonfire, eating delicious food and having drinks with friends. Your body will be challenged and your soul will be rejuvinated after a weekend here!
Norway is an absolutely magical country where you can see tiny grass-roof houses occasionally dotting the countryside and some of the bluest waters you can imagine. My family has an incredible trip to Norway a few years ago. All of us would definitely recommend that you try the strawberries at the open-air market in Bergen. They were the best we’ve ever had. However, don’t be tempted to try the chain pizza restaurant, Pippin’s. Their idea of pizza is not quite what most Americans are used to and its very expensive. After a disastrous experience with Norwegian pizza, we ventured toward the less touristy eateries and discovered that tiny restaurants that sell delicious rotisserie chicken platters were everywhere and quite affordable. We were so proud of ourselves for making this little discovery that I though I’d share it with anyone considering a trip to this amazing place!
Big Sur, the National Park along Highway 1, just south of Monterey is also worth a visit. I spent many summers there as a child and it’s always a pleasure to go back. You’ll be camping(but there are cabins and hotels available) among the giant redwoods, with the beach right beside the forest. Some of the scenery just driving through the park are the best, in my opinion of the entire Highway 1 experience and definitely worth at least a day trip while in the area.
The Bellagio has an amazing nightly water show. The fountains make the water seem to dance to classical music. The show only lasts about 5-10 minutes, but it runs every half hour during the week and every 15 minutes on the weekends. You can tell when the show is about to start as soon as the area around the Bellagio’s entrance gets packed, so be sure to beat the rush and get a comfortable viewing area.
I’ve made two requests for permission travel letters and have not received an email. I have a mac…is that a problem?
The Lake George region is one my favorites to vacation in upstate New York. The town is beautiful and an evening walk along the water after a nice meal makes for an enjoyable evening.
When I vacationed with my family a few years ago we stayed at the Lake George Escape Camp Ground. My family is not one for roughing it, so even though there were families on the grounds living out their tents and RVs, we were able to rent one of the log cabins, with all the modern “luxuries” that I deem necessary (shower, bed, kitchen). The huge grounds has a baseball field, an outdoor pool and a rec room with a tons of games for the kids to play. There is nightly entertainment and the atmosphere is very friendly with families grilling on their own BBQs and offering hotdogs to other guests walking by.
While in town, we found the time to explore the area and two of the things I highly recommend are Six Flags Great Escape Park and just a half-mile down the road from that is the Glen Falls Drive-In movie theater. The theme park has a bobsled rollercoaster and the drive-in has double features (for the price of one) every night during the summer!
Our teen son has been to the New Orleans Jazz Festival twice and he just loves it. There is something magical about listening to music out of doors that keeps kids involved. If we put on some of the music he loved at NoLa at home, he would scoff at it! But there, sitting on the lawn, his musical horizons were much broader. This festival sounds just great.
Hello Steve~ I’m hoping your still active on this site and my post reaches you soon. It was a wonderful sight for me to stumble upon this site and find your name and some photos. Please try to contact me so that we can catch up. You may email me erinmbrice on yahoo.
Everyone should go to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most amazing things I did in Ireland!
During Christmas of 2006, I went down to the Caribbean for the first time with my family. It was me, my younger brother and sister (who were in their mid to late teenage years at the time) and our parents.
I was a little apprehensive since I have never been on vacation during the holidays before, but like Kristen, we stayed at the Barcelo Capella and it was a GREAT TIME. There was a huge tree in the middle of the resort decorated with lights and they even had parties for all the guests on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The staff is comical, welcoming and entertaining. My favorite part of each night was after dinner when the performers took a break from their music and dancing and put on what the resort calls, “Ice Breakers.” Basically, they pull out random guests and members of the audience to come on stage and participate in embarrassing, but incredibly funny activities. You may have to dance the tango with a stranger, pop balloons with your butt, or make animals noises. It keeps the crowd pleased and certainly does break the ice.
I went down with my family, but left the resort with a ton of friends. The Barcelo Capella definitely enhances the typical family vacation. PLUS- It is ALL INCLUSIVE and beach front. You really cannot go wrong here.
Oahu can be congested sometimes, but it’s too beautiful to pass up. Another great thing to do is visit The Contemporary Museum on Makiki Heights Drive. It’s small and intimate and full of interesting exhibits. It’s a great place to beat the heat and get away from crowds.
Absolutely beautiful, in summer and winter. Lake Louise holds a special place in my heart! Although I would suggest during winter bundle up. Seriously, I spent the winter holidays skiing here and it was -40 degrees, hand warmers are a must!
I loved going to Lugu Lake. It took a six hour bus ride to get there from Lijiang, which is a short flight away from Kunming. The trip was definitely worth it though, the lake is gorgeous! If you have time, get tickets for the Mosuo performance. The Mosuo people are a matriarchal society who lives near Lugu Lake and the show teaches you all about their customs through singing and dancing.
I go back to Grand Targhee every winter with my dad for so many reasons. I love it! The lift lines are never long, the food is cheap and with my college I.D I was able to ski for $35 over spring break 2008. I was even able to go skiing with my friends who had never skied before.
If you’re looking to visit pandas without leaving the city, just head over to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The research base is just a short taxi ride away from the heart of the city and a perfect day trip. I spent three hours there before my evening flight, just enough time to visit everything from the Baby Panda Nursery to Giant Panda Kindergarten. The pandas are adorable and although they didn’t do much (mostly sleeping and eating), none of the visitors, including me, could take their eyes off the slow-moving animals. For 400 RMB (about 53 US dollars), visitors can stand next to and take a picture with a baby panda, but if you want to hold one, be prepared for sticker shock. It costs 1000 RMB, or about 133 US dollars!
I also recommend stopping and watching the video about the giant panda and the center’s breeding efforts. Visit the less popular red pandas as well. They’re much more energetic than their large black and white counterparts and the kids were excited to see them leaping around and wrestling with one another. Like most other tourist destinations, the breeding center has a souvenir shop near the exit. Stop by and take a look at the cuddly stuffed pandas and t-shirts, but you may want to buy the items at the stands across the street from the breeding center where you can bargain. Be careful when getting on one of the taxis waiting outside. They know that most of the visitors are tourists and will try to rip you off so make sure they start the meter once you get on.
While in Chengdu, I stayed at Universal House Golden Hotel, a four star hotel not far from the city center. It was inexpensive (I paid around 60 US dollars per night) and the service was wonderful. The front desk was eager to help and recommended two wonderful restaurants, including Huang Cheng Lao Ma which specializes in Sichuan-style hotpot.
The Giant’s Causeway is definitely worth the trip from Belfast, which by bus tour took a couple hours for us. There is a particular rock out near the water that is rumored to be magical and is considered Finn’s chair. Supposedly anyone who sits on that particular step stone can wish for any one thing and Finn will grant that wish.
I also highly recommend the Crown’s Liquor Saloon. The Farmer’s Chicken was excellent and keeping with the wonderful pub atmosphere. Now that there is a smoking ban in Northern Ireland, I bet it’s even more pleasant without the cloud of smoke.
A couple other things that to think about doing is visiting Queen’s University, just to see how like good wine, universities are better with age and a stroll through the Botanical Gardens is nice when weather permits, but if showers occur, seek shelter in the Palm House, a glass greenhouse with a huge variety of tropical flowers and plants. Admission is free to both.
Another way to travel through Belfast is with the Black Cab tours, which offers private tours in those classic cab cars that look old fashioned compared to the sedan Yellow Taxis of New York City. These personalized tours allow up to four people to pick and choose which sites ranging from within Belfast City to as far as Antrim to the Giant’s Causeway. They also have tours to the Shankill Murals and Falls Murals, which are always viewed better with a local guide to explain what these paintings represent, along with the history.
Edinburgh has a great haunted tour. A lot of it is more about the ‘gore’ of hanging days, but they take you down into their underground vaults, which was voted as one of the most haunted places on earth. It’s not all that scary, but definitely for older kids (and grown-ups) who love to be spooked.
I love Portland! Try out the Rose Gardens, it’s a nice place for the kids to run around while the parents enjoy the flowers.
I stayed at the Embassy Hotel while there and we ended up with a suite, very spacious, clean, great staff.
Little Italy is a great spot for gelato and family-style Italian food. And the suburb of Westlake (about 15 minutes from Cleveland) has a huge pedestrian area and shopping village called Crocker Park with tons of shops, eateries, and kid-friendly stops.
I stayed at the Hix House, designed by environmentalist architect John Hix. We absolutely loved it, though it is very rustic and run on solar power, no TV, AC, etc. They require children be 16 and older, so this is only a good option for older kids who love the outdoors and want to explore unique environmental lodging options.
I like free kayaking in Hudson Park through Downtown Boat House. They provide free kayaks to venture out solo or tandem for about 20-minutes along the Hudson. Kids under the age of 16 have to go tandem with a guardian. While 16-18 year olds can go solo, but their guardian has to sign a waiver and be present the whole time. Makes for a fun and inexpensive family activity.
Hudson Park also has a summer trapeze school, batting cages, bike rentals, rock climbing, play areas, and free movie programs during summer.
St. Thomas isn’t the island for me. Personally, the last thing I want to see when entering a Caribbean port is an oversized Rolex store, a local market overflowing with cheap goods from China, and a misplaced McDonald’s.
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort is well-kept, but has some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced. If you’re not there on an all-inclusive, they’ll nickel and dime you to death with $20 to $50 to check your email, or even more to get online from your room. My room’s internet connection did not work and when alerted to the problem, the cranky staff did nothing beyond making false promises and passing the buck and I left having never been able to connect.
The beach is rocky and uninviting and so far from the rooms as to almost make it not worth the visit. Snorkeling gear is free to guests, but they make you pay $5 for life vest’s for your little ones. I had to leave my credit card as a deposit when they wouldn’t take my room number instead.
I don’t recommend the Wyndham…
Hi
Stay in what Hans Christian Andersen called “Denmarks Garden” at this magnificent Manor House, http://www.skrobelevgods.dk
Huge and bright suites with en-suite bathrooms, winecellar, lounces with open fireplaces etc.
Hi
Another fantastic French castle is Hattonchatel Chateau in Lorraine – the view is fabulous and the listed knights hall “la Salle de Burgraves” is one of the few wonders of this world.
Mention the night skiing at Squaw Valley. It has one of the longest night-lit runs I’ve ever skied — 3.2 miles from top to bottom. Plus the terrain park is lit at night and that includes a half-pipe. Really fun.
Susan F.
Northstar at Taoe is a great place for teens because all of the housing on the resort site is served by a bus. That means they can sleep in and get themselves to the slopes. It also has really fun terrain park features for both skiers and snowboarders. It would be nice to see daycare for infants, though.
– Laura S.
Wow, you sound like a disgruntled Yankee Fan!
Having personally vacationed at Point Sebago with my family for a week at least 7 years so we speak from first hand experience. Most years we never leave the resort and check-out feeling we participated in a small fraction of the resorts multitude of offerings. You make no mention of the family camaraderie we find so refreshing around the campfire each evening. Did you ever start a camp fire? Probably not as it sounds like you spent very little time at the resort (5 days vacation and 5 Maine excursions).
Obviously your teens do not enjoy tennis, canoeing, kayaking, golf, driving range, miniature golf, sailing, volleyball, shuffleboard, hanging out on the beach, or going on a teen cruise or teen dance.
You make the “Park Homes” sound small. And, when compared to a house – this point can not be argued. However many families vacation and share a single motel/hotel room with 2 double beds. Compared to that, our 2-bedroom Park Home every year feels quite spacious.
You also mention the 10 minute walk from your unit to the water. You do not mention the dozens of homes directly on the water (given the resort popularity, we do reserve months in advance to get a waterfront Park Home).
Point Sebago Resort has over a 80 percent repeat guest and referral rate. Families who love Point Sebago are loyal, return year after year (some for generations) and tell their friends. We have refered dozens of families and all have loved it! Thousands find this to be a real “Maine woods” experience.
But when you visit a resort with so much to offer and the 6 highlights of your visit are 5 off-sight visits (you were only there for 5 days) and the sixth highlight was teaching your son to drive. Well, as you say, clearly your family “did not click with it” – but did you even try?
Does not sound like you will, but if you were to visit again, try actually participating in some of the resorts activities and events. They are numerous, they are fun! You make new friends and you reconnect as friends with your family – surprisingly this happens over mini golf or s’mores. We find this is what really makes the true Point Sebago experience!
-Greg Burke
This author is amazing! This article was very informative and makes me want to go to Seefeld right now!!!Keep up the good work!!!
Our family visited Columbus in July one year and attended the Ohio State Fair. What a great time we had – our 2 year old loved petting the animals in the 4H tent where many older kids were gathered with the younger “siblings” of the cows, sheep and goats who were in competition. The Ohioans are so friendly too, that made it extra fun. Highly recommended, especially with little ones.
I was at this ski resort in March one year and it was awesome. There’s an outdoor cafe halfway up the mountain, near the open air skating rink built for the Olympics — both are a great place to hang out in the noon day sun. really neat.
This sounds like such a fun trip, but do you think it would be hard to drive a minivan full of kids for us, since it’s on the “wrong” side of the street in Ireland?
I wonder how much traffic there is and how stressful this would be, with parking, filling up the gas tank, etc.
Don’t miss “Gum Alley” in downtown San Luis Obispo, where visitors have left their artistic mark in gum. You’ll see gum initials, gum hearts, gum peace symbols, and thousands and thousands of pieces of ABC (already been chewed) gum. Found objects such as old 45 rpm records and charms are often stuck onto the wall and there’s always room for more. The wall is located off Higuera between Chorro and Broad Streets.
I haven’t, but I found a nice site at http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/- It’s AutoEurope, the car rental company, and they have lots of fly-drive offers for families interested in visiting the Christmas markets in Munich, Dresden, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna, Zurich and Strasbourg. maybe it will have some good ideas for your next Christmas market adventure.
A few things to do iin Moscow include the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier’s changing of the guard ceremony, a Kremlin tour, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Armory and Diamond Fund Tours.
You can explore central Moscow on foot. Kids may like the shopping mall with the food court under Red Square.
Other possiblities include the Izmalova flea market, the KGB Museum and Park Pobedy (Victory Park).
The Bolshoi ballet is a treat and you’ll need to book tickets quite a ways in advance.
You should have plenty of excellent ideas for St. Petersburg in this article!
I am interested in a family trip in July for my two children and myself to include at least Moscow and St Petersburg. I am a member. Help! Christi Bourne
I just didn’t want FamilyTravelForum.com to be hit by nasty emails from parents with young kids curious to know just what Bomba and the women are doing in all those photos and why.
The Bomba Shack is a tourist attraction — trap may be more like it. It’s a really gross place.
Candyce Stapen
Anyone who has ever been to Tortola knows that this is just an absurd landmark… a taste of local color… that people actually ask to stop at. It is definitely just a place to take a photo as they have the strangest things hanging there. We saw lots and lots of license plates, etc… and did not take note of bras and panties, etc. We did not recommend that anyone “hang out” there.
Nonetheless, we feel that if anyone is offended… then this item definitely has to be eliminated from our article about the island.
Mel and Ronnie Greenberg, authors
You really should delete the reference to “Bamba Shack.” First of all, it’s the “Bomba Shack” and secondly, it appeals to drunken college students and twenthysomethings. It’s not family-friendly.
Women’s panties and naked, explicit — very explicit photos — of Bomba feeling up and doing all kinds of X-rated activities with visiting women are on the walls and hang from the rafters.
I wouldn’t even want my daughter going there when she was in college, let alone when she was younger.
Candyce Stapen
[Editor’s Note: Travel expert Candyce H. Stapen is a contributing editor and columnist for Family Fun, Vacations, the Washington Times, and National Geographic Traveler. She is also the author of the four “Great Family Vacations” guides (Prima Publishing): Northeast, South, Midwest & Rocky Mountain Region, and West, as well as “Cruise Vacations With Kids” and “Fun With the Family in Virginia” (Globe Pequot Press). Stapen has two children and lives in Washington, DC.]